The Golden Crusade
Since the Divine Era, Human and Dryad have fought across the continent of Desmia, and the Dryads have retreated steadily North. Desmian religion has centered itself around this conflict, and Immortals have conspired for millennia to prevent the Dryads from being exterminated- but have never been able to push the Desmians back. The endless war, the crusade of greatest prestige and honor in Desmia, is known now as the Golden Crusade.
Some of the fighting is seasonal- recruits from across Desmia head Northwest to fight in annual campaigns. Some years, Desmian empires seeking prestige will send entire armies to reinforce the Crusade. Desmian expeditions that succeed in pushing the Dryads or Heretics out will be granted the land they've seized, encouraging them or their family members to settle down and fortify their new holdings.
Currently, the Golden Crusade is driving ever deeper into the Empire of Mathari, splitting the empire almost in half. For the first time in 500 years, the possibility of Dryads being driven out of Desmia for good seems within their grasp. The heretic kingdoms of Lusaya and Hadaya are proving more challenging, and a series of informal treaties with neighboring crusader kingdoms means occasional periods of peace on those fronts. The greatest emerging obstacle are the mercenaries and adventurers from distant Samvara that continue to reinforce the Mathari armies and raid Desmian supply lines.
Belligerents
The Golden Crusade (Desmian)
The Mathari Empire
Strength
Numbers of arrivals have varied from 5,000-500,000 annually
15,000 to 1,000,000 standing army and mercenaries
Casualties
Casualties vary from 1000 dead to 100,000 dead annually
1,000 to 30,000
Objectives
The occupation of Northwestern Desmia; the eradication of the Mathari empire; the suppression of the heretical kingdoms of Lusaya and Hadaya; the capture of all native Desmian Dryads
The remove of Orthodox forces from Northwestern Desmia
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